Multiple coin receiver



March 17, 1942. L, A D ES 2,276,449

MULTIPLE COIN RECEIVER Filed May 19, 1939 '4 Sheets-Sheet l Match 17; 1942. L. J. ANDRES 2,276,449

MULTIPLE COIN RECEIVER Filed May 19, 1959 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENT OR.

March 17, 1942. L. J. ANDRES 2,276,449

MULTIPLE 00m RECEIVER Filed May 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 17, 1

L. J. ANDRES 2,276,449

MULTIPLE COIN RECEIVER Filed May 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet '4 Patented Mar. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MULTIPLE COIN RECEIVER Lloyd J. Andres, Chicago, 111., assignor to Automatic Instrument Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 19, 1939, Serial No. 274,588

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to coin devices and more particularly to a coin receiving mechaorder that the coins could travel sufiiciently far.

to close a desired number of switches. Furthermore. there is a serious disadvantage in coin re,- ceivers of this character in that a member of the public may deposit coins when the power source is disconnected and thus fail to obtain the desired operation as the coins would travel by gravity through the chute without energizing tlie associated circuits. I

In the present invention, in addition to other advantages, the above difiiculties are completely overcome since relatively small space is required for the device and further, coins will not pass through the device without electric power being supplied. v

The principal object of the invention is the provision for a relatively small mechanism which will reject counterfeit coins and accept coins of various denominations and automatically provide the momentary closing of a pre-determined numbervof switches corresponding with the value of the coin'or coins inserted.

A further object provides a motor driven coin receiving means for closing momentary control switches.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a motor driven coin carrier for retaining inserted coins when the electric power is interrupted.

A further object provides a means for estab lishing a given pre-determined time interval between the closing of successive coin switches.

Further related objects will be hereinafter disclosed.

Fig. l is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the complete assembly.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation taken through section line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top sectional view taken through section line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, entrance chutes l are attached to the upper end of a bank of counterfeit coin rejectors 2. At the lower end of the rejector, an open return cup 3 provides a receptacle for the rejected coins from the entire bank of rejectors 2. Frame 4 supports the entire mechanism including the coin drawer 5, electric motor 6, speed reduction gears l and the rotary coin wheels 8. a

Referring to Fig. 2, the entrance chutes la, lb, lc are intended to receive coins of three specific denominations, for example, nickels in chute l3a, dimes in chute 13b and quarters in chute .130. The spurious coin rejection units 2a, 2b and 20, into which the inserted coins pass, by the action of gravity, are of conventional design and include a mechanism for rejecting counterfeit coins into the return cup 3.

Fig. 2 also shows the electric driving motor 6 attached to the side of the frame 4. The slidably mounted coin receiving drawer 5. for collecting the accepted coins is placed in the lower part of frame 4. Shown in the same figure is a part of the three coin wheels 8a, 8b, and which carry a plurality of pockets for receiving and transferring the accepted coins, to be hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 1, electric motor 6 attached to the frame drives shaft 9 through a speed reduction gear train. Integrally mounted on this shaft are the previously mentioned coin wheels 8a, 8b, and 8c, said coin wheels arranged to be rotated at relatively slow speed.

' Referring to Fig. 3, a partial sectional view of one of the coin wheels 8b is shown. It will be noted that there are four pockets III in each wheel for receiving coins. The pockets in the- Referring to Fig. 3, and assuming that the driving motor 6 is operating and the coin wheels are turning in the direction shown by arrow, then, upon placing a coin in the entrance chute I, it will pass through the rejection unit 2 into acceptance chute l3 and from chute l3 it will fall by the action of gravity into one of the pockets ID of one of the coin wheels and thence be carried around the inner periphery of the housing l I. This latter movement will cause the rim of the coin to strike the projections of a. predetermined number of switches l2 which are lying in its path. Thus, the switches encountered will be momentarily closed as the coin continues its movement. Upon leaving the housing I I, the coin will fall, by the action of gravity, into the receiving drawer 5.

Should a spurious coin be inserted in the chute it will travel by gravity through rejector 2 and be deposited in the return cup 3.

The entrance to the lower chutes l3a, I32; and lie is clearly shown in Fig. 4. It'will be noted that the switch assemblies [2 are positioned so that their respective projecting members I (see Figs. 3 and 4) lie in the respective paths of travel of the coins, which paths are included between the dotted lines of the paths of travel of the respective coins. The number of switches with their respective projections are arranged in the paths of the various coins in proportion to the value of the coins. For example, there is one projection H in the path of the nickel slot, two projections H in the path of the dime slot and five projections H in the path of the quarter slot.

In operation it is assumed that electric power is supplied to the motor 6 and that at all times the wheels 8a, 8b, and 80, Fig. 2, are constantly rotating. Then an operator may deposit one or more coins of different denomination in the three chutes provided and if they are bona flde coins, they will pass through the rejectors 2 and thence into their respective pockets in the wheels 8a, 8b and 8c.

Since the three wheels are rotating the edges of all the coins deposited will encounter the projections H lying in their paths and, through the movement 01' said projections, corresponding switches l2 will be momentarily closed, thus momentarily energizing an electric circuit (not shown) a predetermined number or times in direct proportion to the number and value of the coins inserted.

It is to be noted that when the electric power.

I be noted that each switch assembly I2 is normally open and comprises a projection member l4 (also see Fig. 3), an inner contact spring l and an outer contact spring l6. Also other coins than nickels, dimes and quarters, with a proportionate number of projections and switches may be used, if desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a coin-controlled device of the character described, a rotatable motor-driven cylindrical coin carrier having three laterally spaced coin receiving pockets disposed in its periphery for receiving coins of three different diameters, said pockets positioned to carry each of said coins in a path separate from the others, said pockets each having a bottom at a depth less than the diameter of the respective coins received therein to position the outer edges of the coins received therein substantially equidistant from the axis of rotation of said coin carrier, a plurality of outwardly displaceable projections positioned in cir-- cumferentially spaced relation about the periphcry of said carrier, said projections arranged in the paths of said pockets so'that when in said pockets the coins will displace the projections, the coin of intermediate diameter displacing one of said projections, the coin of smallest diameter displacing a greater number of projections, and

the coin of greatest diameter displacing a still greater number of projections, each of the aforesaid projections having a separate open electric structed and arranged to be momentarily closed by said projections when the latter are encountered by coins carried in said pockets of said.

coin carrier, the projections in each of the paths of travel of the diflerent diameter coins being separate and distinct and structurally independent from the projections in any of the other paths of travel of the coins, a supporting member for said projections adjacent said coin carrier, said supportingmember having openings extending therethrough radially with relation to said coin carrier, each of said projections extending through one of said openings.

2. In a coin-controlled device of the character described, a rotatable motor-driven cylindrical coin carrier having three laterally spaced coin receiving pockets disposed in its periphery for receiving coins of three different diameters and denominations, said pockets being positioned to carry each of said coins in a path separate from the others, said pockets each having a bottom at'a depth less than the diameter oi the respective coins received therein, the bottoms of said pockets being positioned to bring the outer edges of the coins received therein substantially equidistant from the axis of rotation of said coin carrier, a plurality of outwardly displaceable projections positioned in arcuate arrangement about a portion of said coin carrier and arranged in the paths of said pockets so that the coin of intermediate diameter will outwardly displace one of said projections in one path, the coin of smallest diameter will outwardly displace a greater number of said projections in another path, and the coin of largest diameter will outwardly displace a still greater number of said projections in still another path, each of said projections having a separate open electric switch directly associated therewith and constructed and arranged to be momentarily closed by said projections when the latter are encountered by 

